$10 billion drug syndicate busted

[Iangould]

http://business.bostonherald.com/businessNews/view.bg?articleid=1000697

OxyContin maker and executives plead guilty to misleading public
By Associated Press
Friday, May 11, 2007 - Updated: 12:27 PM EST

ROANOKE, Va. - The Connecticut maker of the powerful painkiller OxyContin and three of its current and former executives pleaded guilty Thursday to misleading the public about the drug’s risk of addiction, a federal prosecutor and the company said.
Purdue Pharma L.P., as well as its president, top lawyer and former chief medical officer will pay $634.5 million in fines for claiming the drug was less addictive and less subject to abuse than other pain medications, U.S. Attorney John Brownlee said.
The plea agreement settled a national case and came two days after the Stamford, Conn.-based company agreed to pay $19.5 million to 26 states and the District of Columbia to settle complaints that it encouraged physicians to overprescribe OxyContin.

"With its OxyContin, Purdue unleashed a highly abusable, addictive, and potentially dangerous drug on an unsuspecting and unknowing public," Brownlee said. "For these misrepresentations and crimes, Purdue and its executives have been brought to justice."

From 1996 to 2001, the number of oxycodone-related deaths nationwide increased 400 percent while the annual number of OxyContin prescriptions increased nearly 20-fold, according to a report by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. In 2002, the DEA said the drug caused 146 deaths and contributed to another 318.


Anyone think these guys'll see a day in prison?

Of course, not. I mean it's not like they sold somebody a joint.

[Alex]

I couldn't get any smoke once, so i took oxycontin.
Maybe i'm resistant or something, because i've had way better painkillers.

[Donald M.]

I couldn't get any smoke once, so i took oxycontin.
Maybe i'm resistant or something, because i've had way better painkillers.

No kidding. When I was in recovery from my back surgery I was taking Oxycodone - which is, unless I'm mistaken, the generic equivalent - and it didn't do crap for me.

Mind you I wasn't in that much pain to begin with.

Then again, when my mother had a supply of Oxycodone left over from recovering from a surgery of her own, my scumbag cousin from downstairs kept asking to borrow some and she finally had to hide them so he wouldn't steal it.

I don't know, maybe it's different for different people.

[gary bolt]

From 1996 to 2001, the number of oxycodone-related deaths nationwide increased 400 percent while the annual number of OxyContin prescriptions increased nearly 20-fold, according to a report by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. In 2002, the DEA said the drug caused 146 deaths and contributed to another 318.


Anyone think these guys'll see a day in prison?

Of course, not. I mean it's not like they sold somebody a joint.

These bastards make street dealers look like nice guys. Thanks to their intentional deceptions regarding the addictiveness of their drug there are now 20 times as many prescriptions being written for it. Even with the substantial fines the company will continue to profit from increased sales and some people will continue to get addicted. I would love to see them do time but I agree that they will probably only have to pay fines.

[mgs]

These bastards make street dealers look like nice guys.

well, not exactly. i mean the drug was designed to help people. but they have no recourse for a poorly designed one that was sold with false advertising.